Defining a Good Inspection
As is often the case, what is good versus what is bad can be a matter of perspective. A home inspection is no different. Any inspector would consider a good inspection to be one that is easy to perform with no complicated or challenging systems and minimal findings to document. For real estate agents and sellers, there is little argument that a good inspection would lack any reportable conditions which might require significant time and money to address. But what about the person who has the most interest in the whole process, the buyer?
To begin, a good inspection reflects due diligence on the part of the inspector. This means that the inspector adheres to Standards of Practice and performs a comprehensive visual examination of all the built in systems and components of the structure. To do so takes time and industry standards consistently demonstrate that a thorough, professional evaluation of a typical home will take 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours to complete. Certainly there are exceptions such as smaller homes, new homes and homes with fewer complex systems to inspect. Regardless, when the inspector’s time on site is significantly below the industry standard, the odds are good they will miss critical inspection issues. Simply put, there is no way to shortcut a good inspection. And with no requirement for home inspectors to carry insurance, the liability for repairing issues missed by the uninsured inspector may fall on the buyer.
A good inspection is not necessarily the cheapest inspection. Even if several inspectors have been referred by trusted sources, a prudent buyer should take the time to check out the inspectors and not base their decision solely on the lowest fee. Be sure to ask critical questions about their actual home inspection experience, expertise, past experience, certifications and how much continuing education they take to maintain their skills. With the amount of money involved in a home buying transaction and the potential that costly repairs or serious health and safety issues may be present, the last thing to skimp on are the inspection fees.
A good inspection identifies conditions which could be detrimental to the structure or its occupants. It is not a code inspection. In fact, meeting code is absolutely no guarantee things will be perfect any more than it is a guarantee there will be no problems. Therefore, a good inspection is not based on code as much as it is the inspector's intimate understanding of what happens to structures and why. Whether or not a structure passed code becomes a moot point if the inspection identifies health and safety issues, conditions affecting comfort and livability, or conditions that could lead to rot damage and insect infestation.
Finally, a good inspection, or more accurately a good inspector, distinguishes between maintenance and condition issues versus more critical concerns. It is paramount they help their clients understand what significant issues are and what are not and that they do so in a non-alarming, objective and factual manner. Like Jack Webb of Dragnet fame always said, “Just the facts Maam, just the facts”.